What’s holding up Washington’s $14 billion arms sale to Taipei?

A Patriot missile system is deployed at a park in Taipei in July last year. | AFP-JIJI

AFP-Jiji

Oct 22, 2026

Taipei – Taiwan has been waiting for months for U.S. President Donald Trump to approve a $14 billion sale of weapons and equipment, which the island democracy would use to fend off a potential Chinese attack.

Washington — Taipei’s most important security backer — has sold many billions of dollars’ worth of arms to Taiwan, most recently in December when it approved a record $11.1 billion package.

China opposes American military support for Taiwan, which Beijing claims is part of its territory and has threatened to seize with force.

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